How Safe is Usenet for Downloading Files or Sharing Private Data

Guest post by Jared Scott : I have been downloading from Usenet (wiki) for quite some time now. And whenever I start to share about Usenet with somebody, they always ask me the same question: Is it safe?

And actually, this really isn’t a surprise.  One of the biggest concerns among internet users today is security. We spend tons of money on anti-virus subscriptions hoping to prevent disaster.  We are cautious about which emails we open.  And we all have a firewall installed to keep intruders out of our hard drive.

The internet has become an interactive world, much like life. The Web of today is very different than it was years ago. Google recently took steps to protect the data being transferred to other websites whenever you do a search.  And search engines likeDuckDuckGo.com offer the ability to encrypt all of your search activity.

Many Usenet providers have taken steps to insure the security and privacy of their customers as well. The most important of these steps is 256-bit SSL encryption.

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and is a cryptographic protocol that provides communication security over the Internet. The original version of SSL was actually created by Netscape and is the same level of encryption used by banks and credit card companies for doing business online.

Basically, and encrypted connection is a secure connection. When you login to Usenet through an encrypted connection, a virtual tunnel is formed between the Usenet server and your computer.

This tunnel acts as a barrier that keeps the information being exchanged between you and the server inside while keeping anybody that is trying to peek into that connection out.

It also prevents anybody from reaching in and tampering with the connection. Many of the best Usenet providers today are offering 256-bit SSL encryption as part of their service package, or in some cases it is available for an additional fee.

Compared to other download technologies, like peer-to-peer and sharing over ad-hoc networks, the level of privacy and security offered by Usenet is drastically superior. With other technologies you are often joining with a group of others to download and share a file at the same time.

On Usenet, the connection is between you and the Usenet server.  There is no need for you to upload anything yourself.

This direct and secure connection allows you to transfer information from the Usenet server to your own computer without prying eyes being able to see inside.

So, is downloading from Usenet safe ? 

Yes, it is a lot safer than the other ways that people are downloading online.  If privacy and security are important to you, you may want to give Usenet a try.